Thursday Thirteen #34

I love the fragrance and beauty of candlelight. Here are 13 tips for taking care of your candles so they will take care of you.

1. Ever wish your decorative candle looked new again? Take an old pair of nylon stockings or knee high hose and rub the entire candle. It will shine like new again.

2. When decorating with candles, think in odd numbers, 3, 5, 7. This will create balance and unity to your candle display. And multiple points of light create a dramatic effect.

3. Don't blow candles out. Go to the dollar store (or somewhere better if you choose) and get a snuffer. Snuffing candles keeps the wick aligned in the center, whereas blowing the candle out can blow the wick off center, not to mention that you risk blowing hot wax on someone or something.

4. After snuffing out a pillar or large candle, gently press on the sides while the candle is still pliant to mold it into shape and keep it burning evenly.

5. Keep candles out of direct sunlight to keep them from fading.

6. For votive and pillar candles, trim the wick to 1/4 inch. This will keep the flame from burning too high and will keep smoke from the flame to a minimum. It's not necessary to trim the wicks of tealights or large three wick candles.

7. Storing unlit candles in your closet or pantry is an easy way to freshen what can often be a stale smell.

8. Burn pillar and 3 wick candles at least one hour for each inch in diameter of the candle if you want to keep the candle burning evenly. If you put out a candle an hour after you light it, your candle is going to grow a well in the middle and you will not be able to burn the entire candle.

9. Candles make great gifts - Sunday school teachers, school teachers, music lesson providers, delivery people, office workers, neighbors, and so on. There are very few people who don't like candles.

10. Burn candles only in a container that is free of chips, breaks, or cracks. This is a safety issue. If the container is already damaged, lighting a candle in it is an accident waiting to happen.

11. Candles should be burned on a sturdy, level surface where children and pets are unlikely to turn them over. (Common sense, you'd think, but... there are people who don't follow this advice.)

12. Keep candles out of drafts and away from ceiling fans that can cause the flame to burn crooked and waste half of your candle.

13. Obviously, never leave a burning candle unattended.

You don't need a special occasion to light a candle!